Seeking accessories for her own wheels gave car buff Donna Fraher a change of career.

The 39-year-old from Thackley was destined to work with wheels – her father is a mechanic and her brother runs a Ford car club.

Donna was looking for inspiration – and products – to jazz up her purple Volkswagen Golf GTI when she hit on the idea of setting up a business selling car styling accessories online.

Fluffy Auto Boutique, launched recently, is believed to be one of only a few businesses of its kind.

Donna tested the market writing a regular online blog, Fluffy Cabs, about car styling. Interest from fashion-savvy motorists wanting to style and customise their car interiors led Donna to retail her stylish products through the shop she runs on eBay.

Increasing demand for her diamante tax disc holders, colourful tyre valve caps, graphics stickers, stylish car cushions and her biggest seller, Autovases – she is the European distributor for the American manufacturer of the flower in a vase which fits on the air vent – prompted her to seek advice to set up her own online business.

Donna contacted Kickstart, a business support organisation, for advice on how to set up her website.

The launch of Fluffy Auto Boutique forced Donna to give up her job in occupational therapy. She had studied for a degree and trained in the health sector, but demand for the new business changed her career path.

She believes the reason why accessorising car interiors has taken off in the way it has is down to programmes such as the BBC’s Top Gear and customising show Pimp My Ride being as popular with women drivers as they are with men.

Donna, who did some training with TV presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson while writing car reviews for a motoring website, believes women should have their say when it comes to motoring issues without necessarily being interested in its handling or performance.

She has noticed recession-conscious buyers are down-sizing to smaller vehicles and, because they intend keeping them longer, are personalising and customising them.

Donna stresses that it isn’t all about turning car interiors pink. She has a set of blue tyre valve covers on her Golf, blue crystals around her Autovase and car jewellery – a heart-shaped crystal – hanging out of view, as road safety is paramount even when accessorising, near her rear window.

Donna’s piece de resistance is the registration plate spelling Miss Fluffy!

“When it comes to fashion we are sophisticated in our choices, so why not apply this to our cars when it comes to accessorising them?” says Donna.

She says women were previously laughed at for asking the colour of a car. She believes style, colour and accessorising has lagged behind engineering and car modifications. Fluffy Auto Boutique hopes to change all that.

“It is important to us what we wear and what we look like. Women are so sophisticated and they do so much more thinking about what they are going to wear because it represents them when they go out.

“I don’t think cars are any different,” says Donna.

She is already profiling her enterprise through car shows and events, and has styled cars for Bradford garages at promotional events to raise funds for charity while encouraging women to get interested in motoring.

She is also planning a series of car styling and car knowledge workshops for women, and is hoping to launch a stall under the new canopy at Keighley market.

Her advice to anyone starting up a business is to get advice and not to rush it. “Just do things slowly and in a small way, and keep it manageable,” she says.

“There is a lot of hard work in the beginning and very little money, but you have to keep going and have the belief that hard work will give you results.”

For more information about business courses, contact Bradford College on (01274) 433333.